Alumni Fellow

Alumni Fellow

Keegan-Michael Key, star of Comedy Central's "Key & Peele," was on the University Park campus in early October to receive the Alumni Fellow Award, the Penn State Alumni Association's highest honor. During his visit, he attended several theater classes to discuss his career and his approach to comedy.

"I have seen, time and time again -- most recently with a study with the Army in studying combat medics -- that there is amazing transformation as a result of these adversities, that there is every reason to believe that everyone can overcome a traumatic event. So the notion of this adversity isn't a horrible, bad thing without some advantages."

-- Charles Figley, Paul Henry Kurzweg Distinguished Chair in Disaster Mental Health and founding member of the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy at Tulane University. Figley spoke at the Penn State Forum luncheon today (March 19) at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel on the topic, "The Trauma Paradox: Lessons of Adversity and Transformation."

Twenty-four Penn State alumni were honored Oct. 5 for their outstanding professional accomplishments and given the lifelong title of Alumni Fellow, the highest award given by the Penn State Alumni Association. Since the award was established in 1973, only 689 alumni have been honored with the title of Alumni Fellow, designated as permanent and lifelong title by the Penn State Board of Trustees. This represents one-eighth of one percent of all 557,000 living Penn State alumni.

Robert Wilson, an alumnus of Penn State University, has been honored with a 2011 Alumni Fellow Award. The Alumni Fellow Award is the most prestigious award given by the Penn State Alumni Association. Since 1973, the Alumni Fellow Award has been given to select alumni who, as leaders in their professional fields, are nominated by an academic college and accept an invitation from the President of the University to return to campus to share their expertise with students, faculty, and administrators.

Two prominent engineers have been named 2010 Penn State Alumni Fellows. Gary Bello, a 1969 industrial engineering graduate, and Dave Grzelak, a 1971 industrial engineering graduate, were among 23 alumni recognized for their outstanding professional accomplishments in their varied careers.

Twenty-three Penn State alumni were honored on Oct. 13 for their outstanding professional accomplishments and given the lifelong title of Alumni Fellow, the highest award given by the Penn State Alumni Association.

Erie native David W. Grzelak, chairman and CEO of Komatsu America Corp. and a 1971 Penn State alumnus, has been named Penn State Behrend's 26th Alumni Fellow. The Alumni Fellow award is the most prestigious honor given by the Penn State Alumni Association, and is a permanent and lifelong designation.

Acclaimed stem-cell scientist John D. Gearhart, a 1964 graduate of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, will present a special seminar titled "Instructing Ourselves to Rebuild Our Bodies" at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, in 324 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building on the University Park campus. The seminar is in conjunction with Gearhart's recognition as a university Alumni Fellow, the most prestigious honor bestowed on a graduate by the Penn State Alumni Association.

At a ceremony at the Nittany Lion Inn last week, former Penn State cross country member Robert E. Hillman was honored with The 2008 Alumni Fellow Award as one of the foremost clinical voice scientists in the world. Robert was co-captain of Penn State's 1974 cross country team. He was a member of the Penn State four-mile relay team and competed as one of the top distance runners in both indoor and outdoor track. Currently, Robert is co-director and research director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Twenty Penn State alumni were honored Oct. 2 for their outstanding professional accomplishments and given the lifelong title of Alumni Fellow, the highest award given by the Penn State Alumni Association. Since the award was established in 1973, just 618 alumni have been honored with the title of Alumni Fellow, designated a permanent and lifelong title by the Penn State Board of Trustees. "Alumni are the University's most valuable resource," said Roger L. Williams '73, '75g, '88g, executive director of the Penn State Alumni Association. "The Alumni Fellow program gives us the opportunity to showcase the significant contributions Penn Staters make to our nation and the world. At the same time, we are bringing these alumni ever closer to our shared alma mater."

Susan Hirt Hagen has committed a major gift to Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, to create an endowment for the Center for Organizational Research and Evaluation (CORE). Hagen has supported the center since its inception 10 years ago, providing the funding to develop and sustain CORE. In recognition of her continued commitment, Penn State President Graham Spanier announced on July 10 that the center has been named the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Organizational Research and Evaluation. Penn State's Board of Trustees approved the center's name at its meeting today (Sept. 19) at University Park.

Penn State alumnus John Villforth left a lasting imprint in the field of public health during a career that spanned more than four decades. Now he and his wife, Joanne, also a Penn Stater, will leave their mark on generations of students at the University by endowing a graduate scholarship in bioengineering with a $100,000 gift. At the Villforths' request, first preference for the scholarship will go to students who have research interests in medical devices and associated areas.

Bhutan, the world's newest democracy, will be led by Penn State alumnus Jigmi Y. Thinley, who received a master's degree in public administration in 1976. He is expected to become prime minister because he is leader of the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) or Bhutan United Party, which captured the majority of seats in this week's election. Thinley is a two-time former premier under the previous royal governments, but this government will be the first under a constitutional monarchy. Bhutan is located in the Himalayas bordered by India and Tibet.